Posts: 953
Threads: 328
Joined: Dec 2010
Reputation:
0
Your mileage may vary, but the Altecs were not nearly loud enough for me.
Unless I got a bad pair, at top volume they were not enough for these old ears.
The Sony MDR-EX71SL sound good but the thin wires are prone to losing their shielding.
As was mentioned already, this is very subjective territory.
Posts: 27,863
Threads: 759
Joined: May 2025
Reputation:
0
I have used:
Koss, The Plug:
Good bass and very cheap. Compressed foam harder to get back in your ear if you need to remove to talk to someone. Not very durable. Tend to fall out towards the end of my workouts. I sweat a LOT.
Etymotic ER-6s
Awesome sound. Replaceable filters to catch all the ear gook that kills some others. Not too loud though. I can max my iPod's volume and not blow my ears out. Excellent sound isolation from outside noise.
Sony MDR-EX71SL:
Very good sound. Short cord is great for upper torso/arm mounted Shuffle at the gym. Durability better than Koss, but not as good as Etys. Price is between the other two as well.
I now primarily use the Sonys. The short cord is what I like. I clip the Shuffle to the collar of my shirt when I workout and place the cord behind me. Stays out of the way.
Posts: 7,301
Threads: 463
Joined: Jan 2022
Reputation:
0
I think it's great to have both headphones AND earbuds. There really are times when each is better suited.
My hearing is probably not that fine-tuned, so mid-price range is comfortable for me, not sure I could enjoy the high end ones (I've spent tons of money on lots of headphones over the years, in all price ranges) I'm currently using Sennheiser collapsable ones, and like them just fine. They've got a noise canceling feature, which I use when I fly, but the size of the battery (which operates the noise cancelling) compartment bothers me, but otherwise i think Sennheiser is a good brand.
Earbuds, I'm still looking for the perfect pair in a moderate price range. I used to dislike earbuds, but agree with others here, once you find ones that fit well, sound good, and are comfortable in your ears, the aversion to earbuds disappears and you appreciate the convenience and small profile. Carrying around headphones, even collapsable ones, isn't as convenient as a good pair of earbuds, but both have their merits.
Posts: 18,004
Threads: 637
Joined: May 2025
Reputation:
1
Guitarist,
I tried noise canceling headphones and they did nothing for me. That's why I switched to noise blocking headphones. What an improvement! I can't even begin to tell you. I wouldn't go near noise canceling models again.
Robert
Posts: 569
Threads: 30
Joined: Oct 2015
i have 3 sets of them, search for my user name to see my review..i'd do it for you but i am at work atm...
Posts: 7,301
Threads: 463
Joined: Jan 2022
Reputation:
0
"I tried noise canceling headphones and they did nothing for me. That's why I switched to noise blocking headphones. What an improvement! I can't even begin to tell you. I wouldn't go near noise canceling models again. "
I'm not sure I know the difference! And to be honest, I'm not sure mine are true noise canceling, they might just filter the noise (they don't claim to do it 100%, in my subjective experience, they screen out the noise from being in the cabin of an airplane by about 70%) what are these two types, and what are their differences?
"For under $20, my Griffin Earjams are pretty darn good. What they lack in detail they more than make up for in bass and volume. I'll probably try to find at least one more pair before they dry up. "
I agree with h' about Earjams, I just ordered some. I'd used them before, and found they solve the problem of Apple's free earbuds (fit better in the ear) and improve the sound moderately as well. You can get 'em now for about 7 bucks plus shipping by using Dealmac or other site comparison sites.
